COLFAX- A Placer County Sheriff’s Deputy is listed in critical condition and a suspect is dead after a shootout in Colfax late Thursday night.

According to a report from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 11:00 p.m. Thursday multiple deputies were patrolling the area of South Auburn Street in Colfax when they located a van in the McDonald’s parking lot. 

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The van reportedly matched the description of a burglary that had occurred in the area the day before. The deputies reportedly contacted a white male adult in his 30’s who was in the van.  The suspect immediately became uncooperative with deputies who then attempted to use de-escalation techniques in the hopes of gaining compliance from the suspect.  At some point in time during that contact the suspect opened fire on the deputies.

Deputies immediately returned fire after being fired upon. During the exchange of gunfire, one Placer County Deputy was struck and evacuated by the other deputies on the scene. 

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Additional responding deputies were able to secure the immediate area, and the department’s Special Enforcement Team was called to respond to a barricaded suspect. Once the Special Enforcement Team was on the scene, they were able to approach the van and they determined the suspect was deceased from an apparent gun shot wound. 

Further information on the incident and the suspect will be released once next-of-kin notifications have been made, according to the report. Detectives have partnered with the Placer County District Attorney’s Office to investigate this incident. The identity of the deputy is also being withheld for privacy.

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“We want to offer our prayers and support to our deputy, who was shot during tonight’s incident, and also for his family,” the Placer County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.  “He is currently being treated for his injuries. He is listed in critical condition but stabilized. We also want to thank our community for the outpouring of support we have already received.

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